



Class .1:2x4x^1.-. 
Book .i.-LS--.t5A. 



Author 



Title 



Imprint 



GPO 16 — 7464 



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The Children's 
Playhouse and 
Playground ^ 




EAST 

FAIRMOUNT 
PARK 
PHILADELPHIA 




By trtuiBtiat 

iUN 29 I9i: 



^The Children's Playhouse and Playground 

East Fairmount Park, Philadelphia 

THE Children's Playhouse, in East Fairmount 
' Park, owes its orig-in to the benevolence of 
Richard Smith, a prominent citizen of Phila- 
delphia, and of his wife, Mrs. Sarah A. Smith. 

Mr, Smith was a member of the firm ~ of 
MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan, the well-known type- 
founders, and died on September 8, 1894. By his 
will he directed The Fidelity Insurance, Trust and 
Safe Deposit Company (appointed as his trustee) 
to construct in Fairmount Park a monumental 
memorial in memory of Pennsylvanians who took 
part in the Civil War, and further, to appropriate, 
lay out and expend the sum of fifty thousand dol- 
lars (;^5o,ooo) in the erection of a proper building 
and enclosing a children's playground, in such por- 
tion of Fairmount Park as may be designated by 
the Park Commissioners, the said buildingf to have 

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a general ball as a playroom and shelter, with a 
connecting building provided with all necessary 
appliances for the safety and comfort of such chil- 
dren as may be brought there, seeking recreation, 
by parents, guardians or other caretakers, with cham- 
bers, with cribs and couches for them in case of sick- 
ness, and all proper nurses and attendants as may 
in the judgment, or with the approval of said trustee, 
be thought to be needful. The testator stated his 
preference that male children over ten years of age 
be excluded from said playground and building, so 
that it may be safely used for the recreation of the 
young. 

Mrs. Sarah A. Smith died on May 3, 1895. 
By her will she bequeathed to The Fidelity Insur- 
ance, Trust and Safe Deposit Company her residu- 
ary estate in trust, to hold and use and dispose of 
the same for the maintenance, repair and improve- 
ment of the children's playhouse and grounds at- 
tached thereto, directed by the second clause of the 
residuary bequest in the will of Mr. Smith. 

The assent of the Commissioners of Fairmount 
Park having been given, The Fidelity Insurance, 
Trust and Safe Deposit Company, as trustee, and 
James H. Windrim, as architect, erected the play- 

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house upon the selected site, Fountain Green Drive, 
near the East Park reservoir, and close to the Colum- 
bia avenue entrance to the Park. ' 

The building- is seventy-six feet in front by fifty- 
two feet in depth, surrounded by a terrace, with 
porches sixteen feet In width, on a level with the 
first floor ; the ground area thus covered by the 
building is one hundred and ten feet by eighty-six 
feet. It is two stories in height, with a finished 
basement extending under the porches and terraces, 
is substantially constructed of brick and is fire-proof 
throughout. The exterior of the building is faced 
with a mottled gray brick, of Pompeiian size, laid in 
white mortar. The trimming^s to the doors and 
windows and the columns of the colonnades are of 
Indiana limestone. The style of architecture is 
Colonial. Upon the two facades fronting the river 
and the driveway are colonnades with Ionic columns 
and recessed loggia upon the first and second floors. 

The building contains on the basement floor a 
large playroom, with tricycles, swings, velocipedes, 
ten pins, quoits, play wagons, see-saw, etc.; on the 
main, or entrance floor, a reading and reception room, 
with books, piano, musical box, graphophone, etc., 
and the Superintendent's office and dispensary 

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(with trained hospital nurse in attendance during 
the busy season). 

The second floor is reserved for the use of the 
sick, and also for infants under five years, for whom 
baby hammocks, baby jumpers, rocking horses and 
blocks are provided. This floor contains also cots 
and private rooms. 

The building is heated throughout with hot 
water, lighted with gas and electricity, and provided 
with lunch room, diet kitchen, nursery, bath room, 
toilet rooms, etc. 

The adjoining playground contains a sand 
pavilion, holding twelve tons of white sand, and 
tables for picnics, etc., and will be, in the course of 
time, more fully improved by the trustee. The 
whole is to be enclosed with an iron fence and quick- 
set hedge. 

The building was thrown open for its intended 
use upon July 23, 1899, and has met with encour- 
aging patronage from the start. The average daily 
attendance for the summer of 1899 was 350, 
and twice (August 17th and 24th) reached 1000. 
On Easter Monday, April 16, 1900, and Decoration 
Day, May 30, 1900, the attendance was also 1000. 
The total number of visitors for the first year is 

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estimated to be about 65,000. The building will 
afford shelter for 2000 persons in case of storm ; 
and close by is a spring of water noted for its 
purity. 

The trustee desires that the benefit of this 
great public charity shall be well known throughout 
the entire city, and cordially invites all those inter- 
ested in benevolent work among children to assist 
by bringing them to the Playhouse. The trustee 
is not authorized to expend the trust funds in trans- 
portation and this must be provided from outside 
sources. When it is intended to bring large num- 
bers at one time it is advisable to communicate 
beforehand with the Superintendent. 

Attention is called to the rules annexed, and 
particularly let it be noted that the primary inten- 
tion of the founder of this charity is to provide a 
playground for children, and a building with play- 
room and shelter. In order to ensure the safety of 
the young children for whose recreation the Play- 
house is specially intended, the will states the 
testator's desire that boys over the age of ten years 
shall be excluded, and the trustee M'ill enforce his 
wishes in that respect. 

In no sense should this charity be regarded as 
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a hospital for sick children. While the trustee, in 
accordance with Mr. Smith's will, has provided 
chambers with cribs and couches for them in case 
of sickness, it will be understood that such accommo- 
dations are only intended for emergency cases, and 
unless required by an absolute necessity, no child 
will be permitted to remain over night. 

Nor is the Shelter intended as a Day Nursery. 
It is for "such children as may be brought there 
seeking recreation, by parents, guardians or other 
caretakers." The trustee will not assume the care 
of children unattended by parents or other persons 
responsible for their custody. 

Nor is it to be expected that the trustee shall 
provide food for the children in the Shelter, as it 
would be obviously impossible to do so, and it is 
clear that the testator had no intention of this kind. 



RULES 

1. The Children's Playhouse and Playground 
will be open every day from May ist to November 
I St, from 9 o'clock a. m. to 7 o'clock p. m. ; and 
from November ist to May ist from 9 o'clock a. m. 
to 4 o'clock p. m. 

2. The Playhouse and Playground are intended 
for the recreation of such young children as may be 
brought there by parents, guardians or other care- 
takers, who will be held responsible for the safety 
and behavior of the children in their charge. 

3. In accordance with the will of the founder, 
boys over the age of ten years will not be 
admitted. 

4. Visitors other than the children for whom the 
Playhouse and Playgrounds are intended, and their 
caretakers, will not be admitted without an order 
from the trustee, or a member of the Park Com- 
mission. 

5. No person having measles, whooping cough, 
scarlet fever or other contaofious disease, will be 
admitted to the building or grounds. 

6. The Superintendent and Matron are in 
charge, and are empowered to maintain order and 

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good behavior. Children or other persons who are 
disorderly, or mischievous, will be expelled from the 
building or grounds. 

7. The Playhouse is not intended as a Hospital, 
and the use of the cots and beds will be restricted 
to cases of sudden illness, accident or other neces- 
sity in the discretion of the Superintendent or 
Matron. 

8. Children and other visitors must bring tlieir 
provisions with them, as no food will be provided. 

9. The use of the bathrooms will be subject to 
the orders of the Superintendent or Matron. 

10. The use of tobacco in the Playhouse and 
Grounds is strictly forbidden. 

The Fidelity Insurance, Trust and 
Safe Deposit Company, Trustee 

327-331 Chestnut Street 

J. Foster Ogden, Sttperintendent 
Mrs. Emma L. Ogden, Matron 



PRESS OF GEORGE H BUCHANAN AND COMPANY PHILADELPHIA 



